Representing Women Within LEGO: Women of NASA

By SERIAH SARGENTON Distribution Manager

There have been some groundbreaking women dominating the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field within National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). On Wednesday, Oct. 18, Lego announced that it will be releasing their Women of NASA set that is to be released in November.

The set includes some of NASA’s most honorable women including Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Margaret Hamilton, and Nancy Grace Roman. Children can learn about the different aspects of space exploration through role play of these individual women that are being brought to life.

The $24.99 set includes important pieces such as a launchpad and space shuttle challenger with three removable rocket stages that come with Ride and Jemison, Hamilton’s stack of books that represents the listings of the Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) software source codes, and a version of the Hubble Space Telescope and projected image of a planetary nebula for Roman. In time such as these, it’s important to educate children on important figures who can motivate them to succeed in their own lives. Women and girls all over the world are consistently taught that they are better off as a sex symbol than being recognized for their brains. With this set, little girls can play with figures that depicts just how smart women truly are. In addition, it encourages aspiring girls that they can be a woman of NASA too.

Besides Barbie, the American Girl Dolls, and Bratz, there aren’t many toys that represent girls in various fields. This isn’t the first set Lego released that aims towards younger girls.

Starting in 2012, Lego debuted the Friends sets, different sets of scenarios that feature five young girls that learn about the power of friendship. It’s toys like Lego that represent and encourage young girls to be the best version of themselves.

It is hoped that through the act of play, that the idea that a woman can be in the STEM field will be normalized. It’s not everyday that you hear of a woman who makes an outstanding discover within space. Women are often steered away from the hard sciences and mathematics because it is be- lieved that women do not posses the same aptitude for these subjects in comparison to men.

These women being featured have proved that this notion is wrong. By defeating the obstacles that were in front of them; Ride, Jemison, Hamilton, and Roman created a new atmosphere for women entering the field. If it weren’t for these four women, STEM would be male dominated to this day.

It’s great to see a toy company take interest in representing women in their collection. Lego is setting an example for many future toy companies to expand their horizon by sending the message that girls are not only interested in makeup and hair, and they are worth representing as well. Hopefully by releasing the Women of NASA set, it will spark women and girls to take an interest in the hard sciences and mathematics and discover new things.